That's what friends are for
by Rinne
Summary: Jane's not feeling well. Gen. Written for Yuletide 2011.


Title: That's what friends are for  
Rating: PG-13  
Genre: Gen  
Characters: Jane, Maura  
Spoilers: General for the series  
Challenge: Written for Yuletide 2011 as a treat for tree  
A/N: Thank you to krazykitkat for the beta.  
Word count: 1016  
Disclaimer: Do not own, not being paid.

Summary: Jane's not feeling well.

* * *

Light made it past Jane's eyelids, causing her to wince. It was too bright.

"Morning, Jane."

Jane whimpered, not having the energy to try to figure out why Maura was there and sounding way too perky. "Go away. I'm sleeping." Her voice sounded raspy and saying those few words caused her to cough.

"Yes, but see, it's daylight now. The rest of the world is awake!"

Jane rolled away, facing the back of the couch-not bed, more information for her tired brain-grumping and burying her face in the soft pillow. She vainly chased the receding tide of sleep. There were too many sounds from Maura, clinking and clunking, getting her breakfast in the kitchen. It wasn't going to work, she was never going to get back to sleep now.

"Ughhhhhh," she groaned, sitting up. She let her head fall down, not having the energy to lift it back up. It felt like she hadn't had anywhere near enough sleep. But in the brief time that she had surveyed the room she'd seen that she was at Maura's, not at home. Her brain finally seemed to click into gear and she remembered that she'd been watching a movie with Maura. She must have fallen asleep.

"You fell asleep, last night, part way through the movie. I didn't think you should drive home," Maura confirmed.

Something moved into Jane's view, nearly giving her a heart attack, before she realised that it was Bass, Maura's turtle. Tortoise. Whatever. Oh, man, why did her head feel like it wanted to fall off?

"Coffee?"

Jane automatically took the cup that Maura was holding out in front of her, with a muttered, "Thanks." Her throat really felt sore. And how did Maura manage to look this perfect at this time of morning?

"Jane, are you okay? You look terrible." Without asking, Maura was trying to put her hand up against Jane's forehead.

"Hey, don't." Jane batted the hand away. "And terrible? Really? Always a nice thing to hear. What if I was feeling fine, and you just told me that I look terrible?"

"You're feeling fine, then." The way that Maura phrased it was more a statement then a question.

"No, I feel terrible. My throat hurts and my head feels like it's about to fall off," Jane said. "And I must have had, what, 9 hours sleep but I feel so tired. And yes, you can feel my forehead now."

Jane endured the check, knowing what it likely was going to find. She felt colder than she should, considering the weather and the blanket that was still half-covering her.

"You have a fever."

Just what she'd thought. Great, she really was sick. "Flu, then."

"Yes," Maura agreed, taking the coffee out of her hands.

"Hey!" Jane protested. "I need that coffee." It was the only way she was going to wake up enough to be able to go to work.

Maura raised her eyebrows, switching into doctor mode. "You need fluids, not a diuretic. And you can't go to work today."

Crossing her arms and huffing, perfectly aware that she was acting like a child, Jane said, "I have a case."

"You always have a case. Jane, you're not going to get over the flu by working through it."

Jane pulled a face, aware that what Maura was saying was right, but not wanting her to be. "You sure?"

"Positive," Maura said in the annoyingly calm 'I know I'm right, I'm a doctor and know everything' way that only she could.

"Fine. Are you going to write me a note, Dr Isles?"

As suspected Maura didn't get the sarcasm, frowning as she thought it through. "Well, I'm the medical examiner, and your friend. I'm not sure of the ethics of that."

"It was a joke, Maura," Jane said tiredly.

"Oh. Do you want to go back to bed? You probably should, sleep is very important. As well as fluids. I'll get you some water before you go back to sleep."

"I just want to go home." Reluctantly pulling the blanket from around her, Jane fished around for her runners and started putting them back on. The laces seemed to be so much harder to tie up this morning.

"I'll take you."

"It's okay, I'll drive myself."

Maura's mouth turned down and she frowned further. Clearly her estimate of how sick Jane was didn't match what Jane thought. "I don't know whether that's such a good idea."

"I'm not that sick. Look, I'm awake." Jane did her best to keep her eyes open as she looked up at Maura. Standing up, however, proved to be her undoing. "Woah." Her balance was shot and the only thing that kept her from falling over in an undignified heap was Maura's quick reflexes. It would also help if the world would stop spinning.

"Not that sick, huh?" Maura said, as she kept her hand on Jane's shoulder. Jane didn't want to admit that it was taking a lot of effort to stay upright.

"Fine," Jane said, giving in. "You can drive me home." She allowed Maura to help her to sit back down.

"And get you fluids. Just let me get my bag and shoes."

"And get me fluids," Jane agreed, as Maura headed back to her bedroom. "You can even tuck me in, if you want to." She didn't think she was loud enough for Maura to hear her, but she was proven wrong when Maura appeared again.

"If you wanted me to, I would," she said, not a hint of laughter in her reply.

Okay, now Jane knew that she really was sick, because the sweetness of the offer was making her a little teary. Not that she would admit that. "Really?"

"Really," Maura confirmed with a fond smile.

"Maura?" Jane couldn't look at her.

"Yes, Jane?"

"Can you tuck me in?"

"Of course."

If Maura ever brought it up again later, Jane would just say that it was the fever talking. And maybe it was. Huh. Not even a lie.

"And call in sick to work for me?"

"That, too."

-FIN-


End file.
